As DeLay's Woes Mount, So Does Money -NYT

[Rose Siding]

A legal defense fund established by Tom DeLay, the House majority leader, has dramatically expanded its fund-raising effort in recent months, taking in more than $250,000 since the indictment last fall of two his closest political operatives in Texas, according to Mr. DeLay's latest financial disclosure statements.

The list of recent donors includes dozens of Mr. DeLay's House Republican colleagues, including two lawmakers who were placed on the House ethics committee this year, and several of the nation's largest corporations and their executives.

Among the corporate donors to the defense fund is Bacardi U.S.A., the Florida-based rum maker, which has also been indicted in the Texas investigation, and Reliant Energy, another major contributor to a Texas political action committee formed by Mr. DeLay that is the focus of the criminal inquiry. Groups seeking an overhaul of Congressional ethics rules have long complained that companies might seek the favor of powerful lawmakers by contributing to their legal defense funds.
...
A spokesman for Mr. DeLay, Dan Allen, said there was no conflict of interest for the majority leader in accepting donations for his legal fees from large companies or from House colleagues. The contributions, Mr. Allen said, "were an acknowledgement that Congressman DeLay is a fixture within the conservative movement and has been a very effective leader, which makes him an inviting target for liberals and Democrat."

http://nytimes.com/2005/03/13/politics/13delay.html?pagewanted=2&ei=5094&en=95e0b31a4ecb90ea&hp&ex=1110690000&partner=homepage

[Inland]

1. Indictments and cash arise from same conduct.

The cash is why he is involved in this stuff.

[saracat]

2. So the people he has been idited for accepting money from can give him yet

more money for a "legal defense fund"? You are allowed to give more money to the person it was illegal for you to give money to in the first place? And Delay can accept such funds? There should be something like a Rico law against this!

[Mountainman]

3. two lawmakers who were placed on the House ethics committee

The list of recent donors includes dozens of Mr. DeLay's House Republican colleagues, including two lawmakers who were placed on the House ethics committee this year,

Now tell me, in the right's sense of moral values is this a conflict of interest or should I just forget about it? I've learned that there are different rules for repukes than there are for Dems because if it were Hillary or Kennedy the freeps would be screaming to high heaven.

[umtalal]

4. Democrats Block Ethics Panel Over Rewritten Rules

Check out this story.


http://story.news.yahoo.com/news?tmpl=story&cid=2026&ncid=2026&e=5&u=/latimests/20050312/ts_latimes/democratsblockethicspaneloverrewrittenrules

[rodeodance]

12. it just gets worse doesn't it??

......Now tell me, in the right's sense of moral values is this a conflict of interest or should I just forget about it? I've learned that there are different rules for repukes than there are for Dems because if it were Hillary or Kennedy the freeps would be screaming to high heaven.

[Fovea]

5. The participation of co conspirators

in a legal defense fund is not ethical. It is furtherance of the original conspiracy.

Tom DeLay runs a political machine that seems to have no limits regarding money, and its collection.

We need to apply the RICO statutes to political organizations. It is long past overdue.

[rainbow4321]

10. (Delay's emails): Documents Suggest Bigger DeLay Role in Donations

http://www.nytimes.com/2005/03/09/politics/09delay.html?oref=login&oref=login


Documents subpoenaed from an indicted fund-raiser for Tom DeLay, the House majority leader, suggest that Mr. DeLay was more actively involved than previously known in gathering corporate donations for a political committee that is the focus of a grand-jury investigation in Texas, his home state.

The documents, which were entered into evidence last week in a related civil trial in Austin, the state capital, suggest that Mr. DeLay personally forwarded at least one large corporate check to the committee, Texans for a Republican Majority, and that he was in direct contact with lobbyists for some of the nation's largest companies on the committee's behalf.

In an August 2002 document subpoenaed from the files of the indicted fund-raiser, Warren M. RoBold, Mr. RoBold asked for a list of 10 major donors to the committee, saying that "I would then decide from response who Tom DeLay" and others should call to help the committee in seeking a "large contribution."

Another document is a printout of a July 2002 e-mail message to Mr. RoBold from a political ally of Mr. Delay, requesting a list of corporate lobbyists who would attend a fund-raising event for the committee, adding that "DeLay will want to see a list of attendees" and that the list should be available "on the ground in Austin for T.D. upon his arrival."

[IthinkThereforeIAM]

14. RICO...

... charges for Delay and Carlyle Group. I have been saying that for years, that Carlyle Group is an insider's racket to game the markets.

[hootinholler]

16. It's being tried at least against the PNAC

By Doug Wallace. BTW, I agree.

-Hoot

[JerseygirlCT]

6. Investigate the donors...

I'd bet you'd find some interesting things under those rocks.

[Lexingtonian]

15. oh, Bacardi is notorious

It's a company run by a Cuban exile crime family. Endless amounts of sleazy donations to Republicans- they partly own Jeb and the Florida Republicans- and court buying and such, draining the Everglades for sugar cane peonage, and generally ensuring that the colonial age doesn't come to an end anywhere around the Caribbean. They seem to be most of the financial muscle to the Miami Cuban exile mafiocracy.

The other donors will be slime of similar motivations and designs and loyalties, no doubt about it.

[NashVegas]

7. Let Them All Hang Together

...

[donco6]

8. Knew there was a reason not to drink Bacardi

Glad I brought Cruzan back from V.I.

[rainbow4321]

9. DeLay admits aiding group, denies wrongdoing

http://www.chron.com/cs/CDA/ssistory.mpl/politics/3077439

House Majority Leader Tom DeLay said Wednesday he served as a creator, adviser and fund-raiser to a Texas-based political action committee now under state criminal investigation, but he was not involved in its day-to-day operations.

"Yes, I raised money for them," DeLay said in an interview with the Houston Chronicle, brushing aside any implication that his activities might have been illegal. He has never been named as a target in the criminal investigation.

"Everything that TRMPAC did, they did under the advice of lawyers," he said. "When you have lawyers advising you every step of the way in writing, it's very hard to make a case stick."

The organizers of TRMPAC set up two bank accounts, one for corporate contributions and another for noncorporate donations, DeLay said.
Asked if he was involved in the transfer or disbursement of TRMPAC funds, he replied, "Absolutely not. The only thing I knew about that was, they created, which I agreed with in my advisory capacity ... two separate funds, two separate bank accounts."

[AndyTiedye]

11. Boycott Bacardi - Buy Mount Gay

Mount Gay rum is made in Barbados. Barbados may well be the smallest
country to refuse to participate in the "Coalition". **'s minions
did approach Barbados to ask them to send some "troops". Barbados
is an island 28 miles long and has no army. They told the Booshies
to stuff it. They were asked again after "Mission Accomplished".
Both times the request was accompanied by the usual threats, but
Barbados has refused to have anything to do with Boosh**'s military adventures.

[DesEtoiles]

13. Here's how to contact Reliant to express your thoughts on this:

http://phx.corporate-ir.net/phoenix.zhtml?c=124294&p=irol-contact

General Information: 713/497-7000


Stephanie Slavin
Director, Investor Relations and Communications
Phone: [phone]
[e-mail]

Dennis Barber
Director, Investor Relations
Phone: [phone]
[e-mail]

[AlinPA]

17. He will be re-elected and it will be hands-off in the house. He is too

powerful for anyone to touch him and his district is solid republican.

[lovuian]

18. Greed I want more!!! And More!!! I got away with it!!! No Laws

affect me!!! I Am the Law!!!

Absolute Power corrupts absolutely!!! OOO

[proud patriot]

19. The most Corrupt Pollitician Ever ..That's Delay

I pray everyday for justice to find Delay .

[The Backlash Cometh]

20. Coporatist and Tom Delay: Thick as thieves.

They know if Delay goes down, he can plea bargain with their secrets.